Nesting pail



July 28, 1959 DTHT 1 1 P. H. METZGER ET AL NESTING PAIL Filed Nov. 1, 1956 INVENTORS I PARKE H. METZGER EDITH B. METZGER av w. W

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United States Patent NESTING PAIL Parke H. Metzger and Edith B. Metzger, West Chester, Pa.

Application November 1, 1956, Serial No. 619,752

1 Claim. (Cl. 20-40) This invention relates to pails and more particularly to a partitioned pail which may be conveniently stacked despite the provision of an internal separation in the pail.

We are aware that pails or buckets having one or more internal partitions have been previously known. Buckets of this type are very useful for painters, window washers, fruit pickers and other occupations where it is desirable to separate the contents of the bucket into at least two different classifications. Window washers can desirably use such a bucket for keeping the wash water and the rinse water separate. For painting on a ladder where more than a single color is used, our improved pail obviates the use of carrying two separate paint cans up a ladder. The important feature of the present invention resides in the fact that our bucket is capable of being stacked or nested for storage or shipment and this attribute is not present in partitioned containers of the prior art.

A primary object of the present invention is therefore to provide an internally partitioned bucket capable of being nested or stacked.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tapered division in a bucket or the like which is open on the sides and bottom so that it will fit over a similar division in another bucket.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a bucket of the type described suitable reinforcing elements for the division.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawings in which Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a pail or bucket constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a top view of the pail of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the pail of Figs. 1 and 2 on a reduced scale.

Fig. 4 is a side view, partially broken away, showing the manner in which a plurality of the pails may be stacked within each other,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail showing the reinforcing connection for the handle and partition, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail as seen at 66 of Fig. 5.

The invention comprises essentially the provision of a tapered partition or wall extending diametrically across a pail or bucket and open on three sides. In eifect, a sectional view of the bucket gives the impression of a pair of saddle bags. The wall is carried upwardly to a point substantially near the top rim of the pail and leaving only sufficient material to prevent bending of the pail when filled with the desired contents. Preferably the body of the pail is a frusto-conical section and the top walls of the partition likewise taper out from top to bottom. In this manner the pails are capable of being stacked or nested to conserve space and to facilitate storage and shipping.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the main body portion 10 of the pail tapers inwardly from top to bottom as shown in Fig. 1. The two bottom sections 11 and 12 of the pail are generally semi-circular when viewed from the top and are secured to the body portion 10 in any convenient manner such as rolling, up-setting, riveting or soldering. The top rim 13 of the pail is provided with a reinforcing band or element 14 which is desirably heavier and stronger than the conventional top rim of a bucket. A handle or bail 15 is secured to the top rim by tabs or reinforcing members 16, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The partition 17 extends across the middle of the pail body 10 and is welded or attached to the body 10 in any desired manner. In effect, the division 17 comprises two tapering flat walls 17a and 17b which may be formed of a single piece of metal bent into a radius at 18 and diverging toward the bottom where they are secured to the bottom elements 11 and 12. The taper of division 17 as well as the body 10 should be such that a series of pails can be stacked as shown in Fig. 4 without undue wedging or jamming.

It will be understood that the entire body 10 as well as the bottoms and division 17 may be molded from a synthetic plastic material such as polyethylene. In order to provide ample strength we may employ a reinforcing element 20 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 at the top of wall 17. The plate 16 can thus be elongated to connect with the reinforcing element 20 so that each half of the pail is in effect suspended over the reinforcing member 20. It will be understood that this modification is used for large pails and the bail 15 is then turned degrees from the position shown in Figs. 1-3.

We have thus described an improved painters and window washers pail which is inexpensive to manufacture, can be conveniently stored and shipped and which contains two separate compartments for different types of material.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

A partitioned, nesting synthetic plastic receptacle having a tapered body, an open-ended double walled partition extending completely through the lower portion of said body, the upper terminus being below the top edge of said body, a bail secured to said body in alignment with the partition, and a reinforcing member forming an anchor for the bail which extends to the upper part of the partition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,474,645 Schilling Nov. 20, 1923 1,517,164 Lear Nov. 25, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS 270,136 Great Britain May 5, 1927 

